Nonconstricting pantyhose and corresponding pantyhose-holding undergarment

ABSTRACT

A norconstricting pantyhose and a corresponding pantyhose-holding undergarment. Nonconstricting pantyhose of the present invention is any type of hose that has a hip and waist portion with nonconstricting upper portion so that the upper portion of the nonconstricting pantyhose comfortably or snuggly stays on the corresponding portion of the body of the wearer by means of hose-holding devices on the corresponding pantyhose-holding undergarment. The pantyhose-holding undergarment of the present invention is a bra, camisole, slip, or the like plus a plurality of pantyhose-holding devices thereon.

FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH

Not Applicable

SEQUENTIAL LISTING OR PROGRAM

Not Applicable

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a nonconstricting pantyhose and a corresponding pantyhose-holding undergarment.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Most conventional pantyhose have rather small and strong waistbands in order to let the waistbands stay at a certain position on the waist area of the wearer. Accordingly, such a small and strong waistband tends to constrict the waist area of the wearer and to make unsightly bulges above and below the constricted line. That kind of phenomenon is detrimental to health and the natural body line of the wearer. Such a problem is experienced by most ordinary women not to mention heavy or pregnant women. Even women with slim waists suffer from the same kind of problem though the degree is smaller.

Some support pantyhose or girdle-type pantyhose such as U.S. Pat. No. D362955 to Imboden, Myers, and Caudle (1995) might slim the lower abdomen and waist of the wearer somewhat. But they push the lower abdomen up and thus tend to enlarge the girth of waist of the wearer, which is abhorred by those who mind their waist size, and they make the waist-constricting problem even more severe.

For the aforesaid and other reasons, many women hate to wear pantyhose. But they still wear them for the occasion when they need formal dress or for the aesthetical appearance of their legs, sacrificing their health and comfort. So women definitely need nonconstricting pantyhose. But the logical problem with nonconstricting pantyhose is that it can easily slip off the waist or hip area of the wearer.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,038,414 to Freeman (1991) or similar products by the commercial name “body stockings,” which are designed to cover even the upper body of the wearer, do not have constricting waistbands and do not have the constricting problem. But that kind of hose is harder to manufacture and thus more expensive compared to ordinary pantyhose. In addition, body stockings have a greater chance of being damaged because they have larger surface area compared to ordinary pantyhose, and body stockings are not easy to put on or take off. “Multisectional body stockings,” U.S. Pat. No. 5,729,836 to Ewing (1998), consists of many detachable parts for multiple purposes. But such multisectional body stockings sacrifice the original purpose—the smoothness or esthetical look—of hose.

Conventional hose-holding undergarments, including U.S. Pat. No. 2,304,812 to Goldstein (1942), U.S. Pat. No. 2,545,743 to Harrison (1951), U.S. Pat. No. 6,101,635 to Jones (2000), etc., are for two-piece stockings (not for one-piece pantyhose) whose thigh bands are somewhat loose and not constricting. In a similar way, pantyhose with nonconstricting upper portion can be manufactured and worn with a corresponding pantyhose-holding undergarment such as a bra-garter, camisole-garter, slip-garter, or the like.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Nonconstricting pantyhose and the corresponding pantyhose-holding undergarment of the present invention is to eliminate the common problem of constringing effect on the waist area of the wearer due to the rather small and strong waist band of conventional pantyhose. The nonconstricting pantyhose of the present invention is not much different from conventional pantyhose that have a hip and waist portion except that the upper portion of the nonconstricting pantyhose is highly stretchable with soft elasticity so that it comfortably or snuggly stays on the corresponding portion of the body of the wearer with the help of a pantyhose-holding undergarment. The pantyhose-holding undergarment is a bra, camisole, slip, or the like plus a plurality of pantyhose-holding devices thereon.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a partial, side, perspective view of conventional pantyhose (10) worn on a model showing a constricting line in the waist portion of the wearer.

FIG. 2 is a partial, side, perspective view of a nonconstricting pantyhose (high-rise style) (20) and a pantyhose-holding undergarment (bra-garter 30) with pantyhose-holding straps (31) worn on a model showing the smooth, natural waist line of the model.

FIG. 3 is a partial, three-quarter back, perspective view of a nonconstricting pantyhose (medium-rise style) (20′) and a bra-garter (30) worn on a model with pantyhose-holding straps (31) in a crisscross style.

FIG. 4 is a partial, front, perspective view of a nonconstricting pantyhose (high-rise style) (20) and a pantyhose-holding undergarment (camisole-garter 30′) worn on a model.

FIG. 5 is a three-quarter front, perspective view of a bra-garter (30) showing detailed parts including four detachable pantyhose-holding straps (31).

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring to FIG. 1, conventional pantyhose 10 tends to constrict the waist portion of the wearer and make an unsightly valley and bulges in the waist area of the wearer.

Referring to FIG. 2, nonconstricting pantyhose (of high-rise style) 20, worn with a corresponding pantyhose-holding undergarment (bra-garter) 30, eliminate the problem of the constricting effect of conventional pantyhose. Nonconstricting pantyhose of the present invention are not much different from conventional ones except that the waist or upper portion of nonconstricting pantyhose is highly stretchable with soft elasticity. Nonconstricting pantyhose can come in a high-rise style (20) as shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, or medium-rise style (20′), as shown in FIG. 3, or low-rise style (not shown). Nonconstricting pantyhose can be sheer, opaque, footed or footless.

Pantyhose-holding undergarment of the present invention is a bra, camisole, slip, or the like plus a plurality of pantyhose-holding devices thereon.

A set of pantyhose-holding devices is either a detachable style or sewn-on (nondetachable) style. In the case of a detachable style, as shown in FIG. 5, pantyhose-holding devices include a plurality of sewn-on strap loops 30C on the pantyhose-holding undergarment and a plurality of corresponding detachable pantyhose-holding straps 31. A detachable pantyhose-holding strap 31 includes a piece of strap 31B, a connecting hook 31A at one end of the strap 31B, a hose-gripping piece or hose gripper 31D at the other end of the strap 31B, and, in between, a strap-length-adjusting buckle 31C. Connecting hook 31A is to be detachably hooked to a corresponding sewn-on strap loop 30C on the pantyhose-holding undergarment.

It is recommended that the strap of the pantyhose-holding device is nonstretchable or lightly stretchable. The pantyhose-holding devices of the present invention are similar in shape and function to the ones on conventional garter belts or girdles. The only difference is that pantyhose-holding devices are attached to the pantyhose-holding undergarment of the present invention.

Pantyhose-holding straps 31 can be worn in a parallel style, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 4 or in a crisscross style, as shown in FIG. 3. Parallel style of wearing pantyhose-holding straps might be good for high-rise style pantyhose, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 4. A crisscross style of wearing pantyhose-holding straps might be good for medium-rise style pantyhose (as shown in FIG. 3) or low-rise style pantyhose (not shown).

Shoulder-straps on pantyhose-holding undergarment can be of a detachable style, as in bra-garter 30 shown in FIG. 5, or built-in (sewn-on) style (not shown). In the case of a detachable shoulder strap style, detachable pantyhose-holding devices include eight sewn-on strap loops 30C on bra body 30A, as shown in FIG. 5. Four sewn-on strap loops on the upper edge of bra body 30A are for two detachable shoulder straps 30B; and the other four strap loops on the lower edge of bra body 30A are for four detachable pantyhose-holding straps 31.

It is recommended that the four sewn-on strap loops 30C on the lower edge of bra body 30A (which are for pantyhose-holding straps 31) are vertically paired off with the four strap loops on the upper edge of bra body 30A (which are for shoulder straps), as shown in FIG. 5. It is also recommended that each of the two vertical pairs of strap loops 30C on the back portion of bra body 30A is made of a single piece of strap, as shown in FIG. 5. This kind of vertical pair-off configuration or alignment of strap loops 30C is to channel the tension or pressure from pantyhose (which is held by four pantyhose-holding straps 31) directly to shoulder straps, and not to distort the given form of bra body 30A. It is recommended that the width of shoulder straps 30A of pantyhose-holding undergarment is broadened to a degree so that the pressure or tension from pantyhose underneath would not let shoulder straps bite into the shoulder of the wearer.

In other embodiments, the number and position of sewn-on strap loops 30C can vary, and the number of corresponding pantyhose-holding straps 31 can vary accordingly.

In the case of camisole-garter 30′ (FIG. 4), pantyhose-holding straps are covered by the camisole body 30′. In other embodiments of camisole-garter, the sewn portions of sewn-on strap loops 30C are somewhat elongated vertically and sewn on the inside of the camisole body (not shown in FIG. 4).

In other embodiments, pantyhose-holding strap 31 can be of branched style resembling letter “Y” (not shown), or upside-down “Y” (not shown), or double “Y” (not shown).

A pantyhose-holding undergarment can be worn without pantyhose-holding straps 31 when the wearer does not wear nonconstricting pantyhose. 

1. Nonconstricting pantyhose and corresponding pantyhose-holding undergarment comprising: pantyhose having a nonconstricting upper portion and a corresponding pantyhose-holding undergarment with a plurality of pantyhose-holding devices thereon, whereby said nonconstricting upper portion of said pantyhose can stay comfortably or snuggly on a certain portion of the body of the wearer by means of said pantyhose-holding devices on said pantyhose-holding undergarment.
 2. The nonconstricting pantyhose and corresponding pantyhose-holding undergarment of claim 1, wherein said nonconstricting pantyhose is any type of hose with a hip and waist portion and a nonconstricting upper portion.
 3. The nonconstricting pantyhose and corresponding pantyhose-holding undergarment of claim 1, wherein said corresponding pantyhose-holding undergarment is a bra, camisole, slip, or the like plus a plurality of said pantyhose-holding devices thereon.
 4. The nonconstricting pantyhose and corresponding pantyhose-holding undergarment of claim 1, wherein said pantyhose-holding devices comprise at least a pair of sewn-on strap loops of predetermined shape, dimension, and configuration on said pantyhose-holding undergarment and at least a pair of corresponding detachable pantyhose-holding straps of predetermined shape and dimension so that said detachable pantyhose-holding straps can be removably attached to said sewn-on strap loops on said pantyhose-holding undergarment.
 5. The nonconstricting pantyhose and corresponding pantyhose-holding undergarment of claim 4, wherein each of said detachable pantyhose-holding straps includes a piece of strap of predetermined dimension, a connecting hook of predetermined shape and dimension at one end of said piece of strap, a detachable hose-gripping piece of predetermined shape and dimension on the other end of said piece of strap, and a strap-length-adjusting buckle between said connecting hook and said hose-gripping piece so that each of said pantyhose-holding straps can be removably attached to any of said sewn-on strap loops on said pantyhose-holding undergarment by means of said connecting hook at one end of said pantyhose-holding strap, and said pantyhose-gripping piece on said pantyhose holding strap can removably grip the upper portion of said nonconstricting pantyhose.
 6. The nonconstricting pantyhose and corresponding pantyhose-holding undergarment of claim 5, wherein said connecting hook, said hose-gripping piece, and said strap-length-adjusting buckle are composed of plastic or metal. 